New Beginnings
by Caila17
Summary: Harry Potter is shot off into a world that is nothing like he recognises. A world where Voldemort was crippled and Harry himself was never born. Is this a new chance for Harry and a place to get over the horror’s of his past, or has someone followed him?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise

Harry Potter is shot off into a world that is nothing like he recognises. A world where Voldemort was crippled and Harry himself was never born. Is this a new chance for Harry and a place to get over the horror's of his past, or has someone followed him?

This has been revised ever so slightly – I got a little bit stuck with it and then realised how many people liked the fic when, after goodness knows how many years being on fanfiction I figured out how to find the stats for my story!!

Ok this is alternate universe after book 4. it follows most of book but does differ slightly from it. The story of Harry will be told eventually but its part of the mystery for you to figure out!

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His back was against the wall, sweat turning the dust into paste on his spine, underneath his shirt. His breath was ragged as he crouched, the blade in his hand cutting into his fingers as he waited.

His knee's ached from being in this position for as long as he had. He tried moving his neck from side to side in the hopes of drawing out some of the stiffness. His shoulder protested at the movement and dampness spread down his sleeve, reminding him partly, for the reason of his sudden exhaustion and utter pain.

A creak rattled the floorboards in the room behind his wall and he immediately quietened his breath. Closing his eyes he reached out in the hopes that he would be able to hear exactly what was happening. All he heard was the soft padding against the floor of someone walking without speed or worry as they searched for something.

"I know you're here" came the maniac's voice.

He opened his eyes, partly surprised to find tears blurring his vision. He clenched down on his teeth to prevent himself from taking a ragged breath and letting the bastard know that he feared what was about to come.

"Pathetic. Hiding like a little child"

_I am_ he thought to himself, then shoved that thought ruthlessly back. It didn't matter, none of it mattered but the here and the now. He shifted his grip on the blade, ignoring the stabbing pain and the stickiness. His knee's started to shake worryingly and he feared that his body, whether his mind willed it or not was about to give up.

He must have made some noise, or perhaps the bastard had always known where he was and had just been playing with him. Before he could register that the door was being opened a foot cracked into his cheekbone and shot greasy waves of pain through his body and his mind into a brief comforting darkness. He opened his eyes what must have been seconds later when his wrist was bent at an unnatural angle as though it had been a twig that a child snapped. He opened his mouth to scream when a foul tasting rag was stuffed into his mouth.

His hair was gripped and yanked, forcing him to follow the man, regardless of how his body protested. His mouth felt dry as a bone and the rag was near chocking him as he tried to spit it out. Eventually he gave up as each struggle simply resulted in him feeling as though he were about to throw up.

He was thrown against a wall and made no movement to get up, his body simply sagging where it was dumped. He opened eyes, sticky with tears and pain and watched as the dimming figure drew some symbols into the floor. His eyes flickered around the room, the shadows playing with the walls of the deserted building. Briefly he thought he saw movement at the window and focused on it. Half a second later there was an almighty bang as the door thudded open. His breathing was too loud to hear what was being said, his vision to cloudy and dreamlike to clearly understand what they were doing. He thought he felt a sudden pressure in his forehead but ignored it. That was impossible. He had killed that…thing nearly two weeks ago, before all this had happened.

But when liquid hit the rag and bled through into his mouth he recognised the coppered taste. Blood. His head was bleeding.

No.nononononononononononononononononoo.

It wasn't possible

It wasn't fair. Suddenly an eruption of laughter nearly burst from him. Was this how He had felt when he had foiled all those plans time after time after time?

Everything was suddenly far too bright and painful. There was loud noise of sorts but he really couldn't care less.

Harry Potter simply slipped away from the world without protest.

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Sirius Black was rudely shaken from his sleep by Alistair Moody screaming down his fireplace. Marie simply shoved him away from her and muttered something about "his bloody job". With a slight growl he stumbled out of bed, eyes blind with sleep and tore on a dressing gown that hung on the back of his door. He walked into his office, shut the door and, before Tristan had any ideas about getting up and accidentally falling over with his ear to the door, warded the room.

Moody's head floated in the fireplace looking worryingly impatient. Under other circumstances Sirius would have been down like a shot, dressed and ready for action. But, while Moody had been his usual calm self, there had been no other indication of an emergency, and, for Moody, waiting in the fire probably was the most patient thing he had done all year.

"I need you to get a message to Albus" the man snapped as Sirius sat down.

"Mmmm" Sirius replied half asleep

"Black, pay attention here. This is important. The ministry's on high alert"

Sirius froze and raised an enquiring eyebrow

"Listen to me boy. There has been a great disturbance in magic, somewhere in London. Absolutely huge, but we can't trace what it is. The ministry is trying to put a lock down on this, but if anyone might have a clue"

"Dumbledore would" Sirius agreed

The floating head turned slightly as if acknowledging something behind him. Moody turned back and gave a gruff nod in Sirius' direction then vanished in flames.

Sirius stared at the fireplace for a second, then rose and stretched. He walked to the door and hid a smile at the sight of his son conveniently walking from the kitchen, past the door and back to his bedroom.

"Dad" Tristan said with an innocent tone. A frown came over his face, one that Sirius perfectly recognised "What's going on? Is something wrong?"

Sirius reached out and playfully ruffled his son's hair pushing the boy in the direction of his room

"Bed" he said pointing

"Dad" Tristan whined "Come on. I'm not ten"

Sirius opened his mouth "according to departmental law zero three five three"

"I'm gone" his son ran back into his room.

"That will cease to work the moment he becomes an auror and realises that there are only seven departmental laws" and amused voice piped up from their room

Sirius grinned "I know but if I switch off and it's coming out of my mouth..."

Marie rolled her eyes "That child has to have some of my genes somewhere"

Sirius shrugged "Be thankful he is brilliant and witty like his father"

Marie shook her head in amusement but there was that glimmer behind it. The glimmer of fear. "What happened?"

Sirius shook his head "Dunno. Whatever it is has the ministry stumped"

Marie raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yeah well, I'm playing owl service. I'll be back soon"

Marie sighed "Where are you going?"

"Hogwarts"

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The minute that Sirius arrived he could tell that something was wrong. The hallway pictures were awake and whispering and the ghosts where roaming with an odd restless need, instead of their usual aimless drifting. Instincts kicking in Sirius drew his wand and walked quietly down the dimly lit corridor.

A shadow swept by and Sirius shot out his hand to grab on to the squirming figure and silently lit up his wand…

…to stare right into the hazel surprised eyes of his godson.

Sirius let out an irritated sound "Chris what are you doing out of bed?"

Chris opened his mouth and then locked his gaze behind Sirius' back.

"Sirius Black, this is a school. Kindly stop manhandling my Grandson"

Sirius winced and let go. Then put on a dashing smile.

"Lizzie, how lovely to see you" he began watching her mouth press together firmly at being addressed as such. "Uh…where's Dumbl…what are you doing here?"

The formidable Mrs Potter rolled her eyes "I'm here at Albus' request Sirius."

"Is it about the guy?"

Sirius turned back to is godson who was listening intently to every bit of information

"What guy?" Sirius asked

"Christian go back to sleep" his grandmother said quietly but firmly

Chris' face fell and he muttered some condemning words under his breath as he left. Sirius watched him go, not trusting the boy further than he could throw him at times like these. Elizabeth Potter seemed to be of likewise mind and remained quiet long after Chris had disappeared from sight.

"Guy?" Sirius asked quietly turning to her.

Elizabeth frowned and inclined her head in the direction that she had just come from, then begun to walk. Sirius followed without complaint, keeping an eye out for any other children that stayed over the holidays.

"Hogwarts screamed half an hour ago" she said calmly

Sirius blinked "It did what?"

"Screamed. The wards were being disrupted"

Sirius grabbed her arm "No. No-one could bring down the wards. No group could do it. Only Albus"

Elizabeth sighed "I am well aware of that Sirius, as are we all. Would you like me to continue?"

Sirius frowned, then let go of her arm, a fierce look in his eyes.

She sighed "At least that's the reason that we thought anyway. It would appear, according to Albus that Hogwarts itself was temporarily dismantling the wards. It was screaming for another reason"

Sirius blinked "The castle removed its own wards?"

Elizabeth glared at him "Do you doubt it?"

Sirius glanced around him briefly as they walked then shook his head

"Anyway" she said with a slight glare "All that Albus saw when he got down to the great hall was…a young man"

Sirius nodded "How young?"

Elizabeth shook her head "Schooling age. But not a Hogwarts pupil. The boy was, is a mess. Hence Dumbledore asked for mine and Henry's help"

Sirius nodded "The Ministry felt a huge disruption"

She nodded "I'm not surprised"

"In London"

Elizabeth glanced at him "Are they sure?"

Sirius sighed "If they'd had the excuse they would have been here before the disruption ended. What they felt was definitely not from anywhere close to Hogwarts"

The pair walked up the stairs to the infirmary in silence.

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	2. Chapter 2

_**He had stood on a hill overlooking the grand school of Hogwarts, mere hours after the crumbling ruins had first hit the ground. He'd been inside the castle when the assault had began. Seen the two students come crashing through the hall doors in an explosion of wood and blood and bone. Had been shoved down onto his seat as Dumbledore had swept past, fury on his ancient face and horror in his fading eyes. Another hand had replaced the old one as Remus had stopped next to him, hand holding him in sitting position, wand out and face grim. The hand had clenched his shoulder in, what Harry supposed had meant to be a reassuring way. **_

_**Snape's ebony gaze had wormed over to him then away. The teachers had all formed a barrier around the door, separating students from the death and the mess. **_

_**It had been the first day back after the summer after Voldemort had lost his followers at the ministry.**_

_**He had been fuming **_

"…_**not ready" had been a murmuring phrase that he had picked up in their brief conference with each other. He had seconds to realise who they were talking about before a whispered apology was in his ear and a spell was shot at his temples.**_

_**He had come too just as they were picking up the bodies. He had stared at Remus, betrayed beyond reason. Utterly hurt that no-one had allowed him to defend the place that he had felt as his home, that he couldn't protect those he viewed as his family.**_

_**And as he wondered around the dead he had felt something else. A disruption within his own powers. And the one man that may have been able to explain it to him had died. Albus Dumbledore had died at the fall of Hogwarts. And Harry had been tucked up like a four year old asleep at the time.**_

_**He had stood on the hill after discovering this. His grief seemed to be nothing compared to what was going on all over the wizarding world. He had left the dying and the healing, hoping that no-one would realise and worry. **_

_**And the letter that broke his heart when he found it was clutched in his hand, stained with rain and wind and tears. Dumbledore's apology to him for giving him such awesome responsibility at so young an age. Urging him to continue the training that they had begun the year before and pleading that he accept the burden given to him.**_

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**The boy was a mess, Sirius thought as he watched Elizabeth, Poppy and Dumbledore finish fixing him up. It actually made Sirius wince to look at. The most worrying thing according to the three of them was the magical exhaustion the boy was suffering. Seeing the look in his eye Elizabeth had assured him that the boy would regain his magic. Sirius had avoided Dumbledore's gaze for the next hour after that.**

"**He'll live" Dumbledore declared sitting down next to him, his age clearly showing.**

**Sirius nodded. "Do you think that the thing in London and the boy are connected?"**

**Dumbledore took a deep breath, "It seems unlikely that two worrying incidents would happen at the same time without being connected" **

**Sirius worked his jaw for a few seconds, "What are the chances that He's behind it?"**

**There was a long silence and Sirius dared to look at his old headmaster.**

"**I don't know"**

**Sirius felt his heart plummet at that phrase being uttered from Albus Dumbledore.**

"**The ministry may call you in to ask some questions"**

**Dumbledore visibly stiffened at that, though his face remained impassive. "Will they be coming here or_"**

**Sirius broke in "_They haven't officially said it yet, and I imagine that if they did want your advice they'd come here"**

**Dumbledore sat back and looked at the boy thoughtfully.**

"**It could all be nothing" Sirius said half hopefully.**

"**No" Dumbledore replied, "Something has changed. The castle feels it and so do I"**

**Dumbledore had left for his rooms a while ago, claiming he needed sleep, although Sirius imagined it was more likely that Dumbledore was desperate to have some answers when the ministry undoubtedly came to call. Feeling too wired to go home, Sirius sat down in the infirmary and watched as Elizabeth did her work.**

**As much as they bickered with each other Elizabeth was the closest thing that he had ever had to a mother. Her small hands darted out, mending this, fixing that, deftly bandaging in a way that was second nature to her. He watched closely, remembering a time when it had been him on the other side of that treatment. Her smoothing down his hair as though he were much younger than he thought himself to be. And then later on, when he had joined the aurors it had been her that had tightened her lips at the damage caused on a raid, her sitting her men folk down and raining down torrents of abuse as her small clever hands never once shook, hesitated or moved in annoyance. To him, her no nonsense attitude was better than all the fussing in the world.**

"**Stop eyeing up my mother"**

**Sirius smiled but didn't turn around "Just cause you want her sicko"**

"**Padfoot, that's gross" the laughing reply protested.**

**Sirius laughed "Merlin you sound exactly like your son"**

**James Potter glared at his best friend as he shoved him over slightly so that he too could lean against the wall. "No, he sounds like me. I'm the original, the one and only"**

"**Thank God" Sirius muttered**

**James beamed "I'll ignore that prat"**

**Sirius smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes as he stared at the figure on the bed.**

"**He's barely older than Tristan" he muttered**

**James sighed and folded his arms. "You should have seen him when he first arrived Siri. He…how could someone do that to a kid?"**

**Sirius shook his head "Ministry will do a hell of a lot worse if they find out how he got here"**

"**I doubt it" James said gently then "You think they'll buy whatever Albus decides to tell them"**

**Sirius rubbed his eyes with his hand. He'd forgotten that Dumbledore's condition would mean that it was potentially more likely that the boy would be seen by the ministry.**

"**They usually do. Out of respect and Moody if nothing else" he joked weakly. James gave him a faint smile in return.**

**The pair stood in silence for a bit watching**

"**Curious myself I have to say though" said James and smiled at the amused look that Sirius shot him.**

"**Any idea's to who he is at all?"**

"**Nope, none whatsoever." James hesitated. "I think Albus knows something though" he said after a few seconds.**

"**Why would you think that?" Sirius asked turning to look at his friend sharply**

**James shrugged, "Just stuff you pick up from watching him, there was something in his eyes earlier when the boy was in the hall"**

**Sirius remained quiet, bowing to James' greater wisdom in this.**

"**But it's weird cause I could swear he's not clueless yet he seem…"James trailed off watching his mother and her patient**

"**Seems what?" Sirius prodded gently**

"**Flustered" James said after a while "Just very flustered and confused. You should see the looks he gives the kid. Almost as though he can't believe what he's seeing"**

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**It was nearing dawn when Albus Dumbledore re-entered the Infirmary. He stood to one corner watching the child sleeping on the bed. He had gotten Elizabeth Potter to leave when he had come downstairs, insisting that she sleep for a bit and he would watch over the patient.**

**Hogwarts had brought this child here, and for barely a second Albus had felt the school rising against him until it relaxed and the magic allowed the boy to slump to the floor. Why did this child, a boy that Albus knew did not attend Hogwarts and was pretty sure that he had never met, warrant the utter protection that Hogwarts had given him?**

**Albus moved forward watching the sleeping boy. The boy was seventeen; in the wizarding world he would be classed as an adult. It therefore had to follow that the only way that Hogwarts would give him quarter would be if he were a student. As far as he could see that left only a number of options and one rather likely one.**

**till he was pretty sure that if he mentioned it, half the ministry would jump on the statement as proof that Albus Dumbledore had finally gone nuts and they didn't need to continue to keep him at Hogwarts to repay the debt that the wizarding society owed him.**

**The bruising on the boys face was hiding his physical features from scrutiny and the lack of magic removed any chance of telling how powerful he usually was. He reached out and gently touched the boys forehead and the scar that resided there. Elizabeth had been stumped by the mark, at first bleeding as though it had been created a few hours ago, yet now looking as though it had marred the forehead for years. The unruly inky locks could rival James Potter in its messy style he thought fondly as he stroked the hair away to study the scar easier.**

**There was a slight flinch from the face underneath his hand and then a definite movement to pull away from his probing movements. The unbroken wrist raised to bat away Albus' hand and the lips twisted into slight pain as the head continued to shift away.**

**He watched the child swallow and wince from the pain of the movement. Eyes flickered open to reveal an emerald gleam that was cloudy from fever and pain. Before Dumbledore could move the eyelids collapsed and the body relaxed, showing how tightly coiled he had been from the second of waking up. Albus reached over to tuck the covers more securely around the boy, a thoughtful look upon his face. **


	3. Chapter 3

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"_They're coming"_

"_Get out of here"_

"_Help me"_

"_Run"_

"_Merlin help us"_

_They're closer, get down, those of you who can leave go"_

"_Stay"_

"_Run"_

"_Oh God"_

"_We're gonna die"_

"_Shut up, we aren't"_

_They're he"_

_Screams. So loud and piercing straight to the bones of your soul. So inescapable, so terrified and pleading. So helpless, can't do anything. Can never do anything. Not yet. _

_More are dying and it's all your fault. So much pain if only you would just do _

_something, all of it would go._

_Blood, and those screams. Banging down the wall, tears streaming, and the white washed walls turning ruddy from your fingernails and raw knuckles, dripping from the useless moisture that streams from your eyes._

_HELP ME NOW SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEASE_

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"Are you ready" Albus asked watching his old friend closely. Henry Potter simply threw an irritated glance in Albus' way and took the seat that had been placed at the head end of the boy's bed.

Elizabeth attached a bracelet to his hand and brushed her lips over his hair. She moved back without saying a word and Henry rotated his shoulders. He then bent over the dark head of hair that twisted in its restraints with such desperation he was half surprised the boy wasn't loose already. With a glance at Sirius who sat at the foot of the bed, straddling the chair back to front he nodded and placed an index and middle finger from each hand on either side of the boys head. With a last deep intake of breath he leant over and touched his forehead to the boys.

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_Suddenly the blood on the wall faded into white and the screams disappeared as though a wind had blown them away. The white floor underneath him became grass and the wall collapsed. There were no boundaries, no whiteness. Just a normal grassy area, a country landscape like the type he had seen a million times from his room in Hogwarts._

_Sensing something he whirled around and froze at the old man that had appeared. His hair was a steely grey, eyes that were a deep brown and watched. His clothing seemed unimportant and easily forgotten. _

_He waited for the inevitable, the accusations that would start, the pain, the terror. But the world remained as it was, utterly calm and tranquil. He could feel some of the tension that sometimes he thought he had been born with, ebb away._

_And then he focused, a frown passing over his features. Where the hell was he? He glared at the man, not recognising him. He attempted to apparate but simply found that feeling that one gets when they are coming to the end of some dream that they can't quite remember yet it played in the minds eye a second ago._

"_Who are you" he asked voice determined beyond the strength he felt._

_The old man seemed suddenly closer "I'm an auror" he said gently._

"_I've never met you before" he declared_

"_I should hope not," the old man said "My name is Henry, I'm a special kind of auror"_

_He narrowed his eyes "Like an unspeakable?"_

_The old man's forehead twitched slightly "No. I'm a specialist"_

_He shook his head "Typical"_

_The old man sighed "You are uncomfortable with this place?"_

"_I can't apparate" _

"_ahh." The old man said with a faint nod "I had thought you knew where we are"_

_He shook his head "I'm many things, psychic isn't really one of them" he tilted his head considering "Well not usually". He shook himself "Where are we then?"_

"_In your mind"_

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Tristan Black's eyes lit up at the sight of the dark head of hair that made his way over to him. Tristan looked questioningly at his mother and then walked over to Christian who grinned ever so slightly. His mum made some request about not blowing up the school but it was half-hearted.

"Hey" Chris said watching over Tristan's shoulder as she left. "How are you doing with that book anyway…" Marie turned the corner "Did you hear about the guy?"

Tristan shook his head "Guy? Dad was woken up last night by the ministry. Some disturbance in London that had the ministry scared. Babies" he added

"Did you hear what?" Chris asked as they continued to move away from the roaming adults

"Nah. Ministry themselves don't seem to know. Just panicked. What about this guy then?"

Chris sighed "That's all I know, I caught sight of him when he came, Gran had to patch him up, he was bleeding everywhere. There was a little trail to the hospital ward before dad cleared it up"

"Huh" Tristan said, clearly caught between acting disgusted or as though that much blood was slightly cool. "He ok?"

"Grandpa's doing his weird mind thing. And Gran reckons that he'll be fine"

Tristan nodded "So, who do you reckon he is?"

Chris shrugged and shook his head "Dunno. If your Dad's here they might think that its some kind of Death Eater. But then I guess they'd just turf him over to the ministry"

"Yeah but…how did he get here. Why bring him here"

Chris shrugged again. "I guess that Grandpa will have to find out"

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"_In my mind?" he asked with disbelief_

"_Have you not heard of such a thing?" Henry asked reading the boy carefully. It wasn't common for __such a talent to be used but it was quite well heard of. The boy was either lying or was deeply in need of some magical education. _

_And that didn't exactly narrow down who he was._

"_Can you tell me your name?" he asked _

"_Harry" the boy said absently, then shook himself and looked around, "This is what my mind looks like?"_

_Henry shook his head, "No this is a projection. Many find that recognisable surroundings, peaceful settings make them calmer, make this process easier"_

_The boy had been looking about him but something in Henry's explanation made him snap to attention._

"_Process?" the boy's voice was heavy with suspicion_

_Henry sighed "You are putting great stress on your body from your mental disturbances."_

_The boy stared at him with that oddly familiar green gaze "And where is my…" he sighed and shook his head "body" he said with some disbelief._

"_At Hogwarts school for"_

"_Get out" the boy said suddenly, his expression darkening ferociously. The landscape rumbled for a second but did not change. Henry retained a stoic face but inside he was slightly impressed and suspicious. The boy was either very powerful or playing a very odd game._

"_You don't like Hogwarts?"_

_The boy shook his head with a look of disgust firmly planted on it. "What is this? Some new torment that your lot have cooked up. How many of you must I kill before..." the boy broke off. The landscape was turning stormy._

"_Kill" Henry questioned watching the boy. Was this some poor kid that had been forced to murder? Or something else?_

"_I'll do it" the boy said in a deadpan voice "I'll kill every last one of you if I have to"_

"_You'll become a monster" Henry said almost gently_

_The Emerald gaze snapped to his "Get out of my mind" _

_Henry ignored the furious command. "There are other parts"_

"_Get out"_

_Henry sighed and looked down as he did he saw the earth beneath him begin to crack. With sudden disbelief he looked up. The landscape was slowly dying and rotting away around them, the boy the only thing that seemed unaffected by this sudden destruction._

"_Get out" he screamed _

"_How?" Henry wondered out loud looking about him in some disbelief._

"_I said GET OUT" the boy screamed._

The next thing that Henry saw was a flash of light, Sirius' stunned face that seemed to very quickly be moving away. He realised that he was flying backwards through the air just before his head walloped the wall of the hospital ward and he slid down the very white walls to the cleaned floor. He shook his head in a daze before he realised that the fading colour that seemed quite indistinguishable was actually coming from the force that had knocked him backwards and not from the crack on the head that he had just received.

On the bed the boy begun to struggle wildly before Sirius seemingly coming out of his gawking gaze stunned him and ran over to where Henry lay wincing from his thumping head.

"What in Merlin's name happened" he demanded

Henry shook his head as Elizabeth came running in. He watched her blue eyes take a sweeping assessment of the situation. Slowly her eyes met his and he could see that she was as utterly bewildered as he.

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Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, fingers linked together and resting his chin upon them. In front of him a pensive rested, he'd seen it about ten times now and still there were no more answers.

It showed Henry Potter in a state of mental communication with the mysterious guest. The boy suddenly jolted and a light flew out of him in a kind of wall that when it touched Henry sent him flying backwards. The next memory showed the great hall, the walls glowing that same odd colour and slowly travelling down, racing across the floor and meeting each other. The boys body seemed to appear from the melding of the magic's as though he were being created by Hogwarts itself.

Both memories seemed so…impossible. Henry Potter was the most expert auror in the Uk certainly when it came to mental magic. Only three people had ever thrown him out of their minds successfully and no record showed such a forceful expulsion. Henry was at home with Elizabeth checking on him for any kind of mental damage.

And the entry into Hogwarts. Even more unusual.

Albus slammed his fist onto the table in a show of rare frustration. It was times like these where his diminished power grated on him like nothing else. It was a sacrifice that he would make again and again but this boy, he threatened all the work that Albus had done to ensure that Tom Riddle would never gain a foothold in wizarding society. If this boy had half the power that Albus feared he did he would be a great threat.

Yet it was still a boy, a child and didn't everyone deserve a second chance. Not to mention that there was no concrete evidence of the boys evil nature or intention. His words to Henry seemed so at odds with the way that the castle responded to the boy, and from what Albus could feel, continued to respond to the boy.

It wouldn't be long before the ministry discovered that their reading had been wrong. Albus had no doubt that the boy had been the cause of the disturbance, perhaps he had apparated from London to Hogwarts in such a way that the ministry picked up where he had left. Albus knew that those of the order could only delay the ministry for a few days at best.

And then what would happen? Would he make the same mistake that he had made with Severus Snape? Yet another soul whose intentions were unclear yet who the ministry had made up its mind about.

It would be at least a day before Henry could safely try again to access the secrets that the boys mind possessed. And Albus couldn't risk lending him the power that lay within Hogwarts, not if there was a chance that the boy could increase the hold he had over the castle through it.

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James stood watching his mother busy around his father with a worried expression. Every five minutes she would check his responses, his memory, his patience.

"She'll drive me insane" Henry muttered as Elizabeth disappeared to get some healing tea.

James smiled faintly "You scared her"

Henry nodded "I scared myself" he said self deprecatingly.

"Did you learn anything?"

"That the kid packs one hell of a punch" Henry muttered

"Dad"

Henry rolled his eyes "He's scared of Hogwarts. It represents something to him, some memory. It glimpsed through for a second but…"

"But what?" James asked sitting down opposite him.

Henry frowned "I saw images that couldn't possibly have happened. Bloodshed, suffering, ruins. Such an event has never happened at Hogwarts. The castle has never fallen"

James sighed "Has someone been screwing with the kids mind?"

Henry tilted his head "I had considered that and there are signs of magical mental abuse for lack of a better word but" he shook his head "The memory, it had a clarity and emotional tint to it that suggested that it was truly something he had experienced."

James shook his head "Could they have lied about the location?"

Henry rubbed his chin "It's possible but I haven't heard of any battles to that magnitude, certainly not one that could have occurred within his memory."

James sat back "Could it be a memory that has been passed on?"

"Possession you mean?" Henry asked

James winced "Just a passing on, like he'd witnessed it in a pensive"

Henry sighed "I honestly don't know James, I won't until I go back in"

"Go back in?"

Henry and James exchanged looks before Henry turned to look at his wife.

"You plan to go back in?" she asked too politely for comfort

"No Elizabeth, I am going back in" Henry asserted

"I forbid you" she said calmly

Henry took a deep breath "I beg your pardon" he snapped

"I believe that you heard me" she said prissily.

Henry and her locked gazes and James decided that it would be better to leave now and hear the results of the forth coming battle royal later.

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_We're in your mind_

_Concentrate Potter_

_How is that possible_

_He said Hogwarts still stood. Was he telling the truth. Who is he? Who does he work for? Is he a death eater? Is this part of their warped plan? Help me. No no-one can, no-one should. Murderer, monster, killer. _

_Destroyer_

_A faint trickle of noise sounded somewhere, like the gentle calming flow of a river. He tried to follow it but he wouldn't let his guard down. He couldn't ever let his guard down._

_But as he solidified the walls that he had once been forced to erect he couldn't help but wonder how, if the man was lying, he had managed to reproduce the sound of Hogwarts magic reaching out to him_

_But he was who he was and Harry Potter could no longer afford to take such chances. If he was captured by Death Eaters, if they knew how to enter his mind with ease, he knew that he couldn't resist them for long. And so to his agony the memories that he held within him where too valuable to let slip into enemy hands._

_So one by one he begun to seal his memories away until he remembered nothing but darkness._

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	4. Chapter 4

**He stared at the mirror trying to find something familiar in the figure that stared searchingly back at him. Behind him, in the reflection, he could see the woman who had regarded him with fear and suspicion from the moment that he had woken up. She was busying with some linen, yet he caught the subtle attempts that she made to watch him. Confused he glanced back at his reflection. The wild raven hair that was a hair breath away from hanging into his eyes, the strange scar that it hid on his forehead. Emerald eyes that seemed ironically to know all that it saw and a face that looked old and young at the same time. The faint knot of a scar line travelled at the far left of his face, a nick that when received was dangerously close to the eye, yet now only visible if one searched as he did. His hands were a mess of scars as though he had wound barbed wire around them.**

**He was tanned and sturdy, it was so odd to feel so comfortable in a skin that was so wholly unfamiliar, even though he guessed that he had worn it for years. Around his wrists were what looked like bracelets, but which he had been informed were actually cuffs binding him whilst wearing them he could cause no harm nor leave Hogwarts grounds.**

**Hogwarts. It was so strange the facts of this place were in his memory. Four houses, Albus Dumbledore, teaching, magic, spells, ghosts, ceiling. Yet he had no idea how he knew what he knew. Had he been here once before, had he simply studied it. Had he known someone who went here, or had he only heard these things in passing. The facts eluded him. He could gather that he wasn't a student here from the curious and suspicious looks that were thrown his way every so often yet no explanation that he came up with fit into his brain. There was no stirring of a memory, no click or rustle of the mind. Just a heavy blankness that frustrated to no end.**

**He turned and stood awkwardly as the woman tidied up. The old man that had come by while ago had called her Poppy and from what he could figure she was some sort of healer. He felt uncomfortable just watching her do the work but she had watched him with such intensity when he had tried to help that he had simply retreated to the corner of the room and not dared go near again.**

**With a sigh he leant against the wall, hating this waiting feeling that he was forced to experience. The wall was cool to the touch and he felt some tension ebb away. He turned his head towards the wall, placing his forehead against the large grey stone. His breath bounced back onto him, giving him the impression that someone else was there with him, steadying him.**

**He drew back, unsure as to why he made the movement. A few moments later he was glad that he had, relieved that he had not been caught by the small group, leaning against the wall as though it were as vital as life.**

**He scanned their faces and remembered nothing from the quick glance that he gave them all. Too nervous and unsettled to think and remember, he merely waited to react, to flee or hide. It crossed his mind that he might just be a coward and this might be a normal reaction for him and he found himself wondering how long it would be before_**

**Stop it. He thought harshly. Focus**

**The woman or healer or whatever she was drew herself up and muttered something under her breath. She shook her head and gathered some sheets, exiting the room the way that the group had entered. The old man at the front, the one with the long white beard and odd fashion sense waited until the door had closed, a faraway look in his steady blue eyes.**

**He was aware of all eyes on him but the old mans. Slowly that blue gaze found its way to meet his eyes and a thoughtful look was thrown in his direction.**

"**Do you know who I am?" the old man asked**

**He shook his head, darting his glance at the rest of the group that stood behind him. Four others in all he counted and forgot immediately the ratio of male to females and young to old.**

**The man nodded and watched him expectantly "My name is Albus Dumbledore"**

**He thought. "The headmaster?" he asked slowly catching his tone between asking and telling**

**Another nod.**

**He frowned inwardly as the silence drew on, knowing that they expected some questions and yet finding none to ask. Or rather too many. What did one ask when they started with nothing?**

"**Was I sick?" he asked eventually**

**There was an exchange of glances.**

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"**He's not faking it" Henry stated as they left**

"**You sure?" Sirius asked glancing back the way that they had come as they entered Albus' office.**

**Henry nodded "Wasn't so much as a twinkle in that boys mind. His memory has been erased"**

**Albus shook his head as he sat down heavily behind his desk "Nothing entered Hogwarts last night"**

**Henry sighed "It may have been a trigger that resided in the mind. It could have been the reason that I was thrown out"**

**Elizabeth shook her head "No"**

**Henry glanced at the ceiling with irritation.**

**She seemed to sense the gesture but said nothing "If it had been activated by your rummaging then it would have made sense to have caught you up in it. Destroy your mind as well"**

"**Unless he knew" Henry said calmly**

"**And I'm sure the boy is in the habit of saving people that he threatens to kill"**

"**Enough" Albus said waving a hand. There was a long silence as Albus rubbed his beard.**

"**Sirius" he said eventually "What would the ministry do with him?"**

**Sirius sighed "Given the events surrounding his appearance and his threats…Azkaban" he said with a shrug. "Possibly he might get a slightly lighter sentence due to his age but I doubt it. The ministry are eager to see that nothing disrupts the unsteady politics at the moment."**

"**What are your personal thoughts?" Albus asked **

**Sirius shrugged, "There's something about the kid" he said honestly. "Even if there weren't it makes no sense to sweep him under the rug if he's past of something bigger" **

"**You don't believe it would be the best course of action to turn him over to the ministry?" Albus queried**

**Sirius shook his head "It doesn't add up and personally, well you saw what was done to him. And Hogwarts let him in. I don't think he's here purposefully and wherever he was…" Sirius glanced at the Potters "I can't help but think that there may be some similarities between us" he said after a while.**

**Albus rose a questioning brow at Henry, "And your opinion?"**

"**He's hiding something definitely but before we talked of here the boy seemed balanced enough. I will not see him in Azkaban"**

**Elizabeth closed her eyes "If the memory has truly gone I'll agree with that."**

**Albus sighed "Then we need to put the boy back under for Henry to go back in again"**

**Elizabeth shook her head wordlessly and looked away**

**Albus turned to the corner where the silent figure stood**

"**Lily?"**

**The red head came forward, her pale face standing out in the shadows she had surrounded herself with "I can brew something that will make him sleep for it" she said quietly and without glancing at the others in the room.**

**Albus nodded "Thank you my dear"**

**She nodded and walked out**

"**Won't this bring back memories for her" Sirius muttered**

"**Sirius" Elizabeth snapped half-heartedly. "Don't start" **

**Sirius closed his eyes and wiped the look of annoyance and disgust from his face "How long will it take?" he asked**

"**No more than a couple of hours I'd imagine" Albus said quietly.**

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**Elizabeth grabbed Henry's hand as they walked down the corridors. Pulling him to a halt , she saw Sirius' shoulders stiffen and then relax as he ignored the gesture and continued to walk on, giving them the space she wanted.**

**She looked at the wall for a few minutes then looked up at her husband.**

"**I'm doing this" he stated calmly**

**She shook her head "Henry, you're not twenty any more, you're not even 50 anymore."**

**He looked at her sharply, "Elizabeth, trust that I know what I'm doing" he said eventually**

**She closed her eyes and breathed out heavily. "just…no risks" she said quietly**

**He nodded "I promise"**

**She sighed and walked ahead of him up to the hospital wing. He watched her go and turned as Albus walked up behind him.**

"**All well?" Albus questioned**

**Henry shook his head and looked at him. "She frustrates the hell out of me" he muttered **

"**She knows you too well" Albus said with a faint smile**

"**Yeah. And that's frustrating"**


	5. Chapter 5

He shifted uncomfortably on the bed as they all hovered above him with watchful eyes. A huge part of him protested against this, the other part simply lay there, calm and docile. He had no idea what they were doing, and as much as he searched his memory the unending blackness remained.

A chair was brought to the top of the bed behind where his head lay. He twisted slightly to see it but turned back when he sensed someone approach him from the front. It was the red headed woman who he vaguely recognised; he assumed that she'd been in the room before.

She looked so pale that he wanted to ask if she were okay, but the way that she had snapped at the dark headed guy in the corner warned him off the notion. Enough people were giving him wide berth as it was.

Wordlessly she handed him some green gunk that sloshed around in the vial. He took it and stared at it, then glanced up to catch the expectant faces. He let his gaze fall down to the liquid, sensing the expectation that he drink. He lay back down and heard someone sit in the chair. Once more he automatically turned to look at what was happening but this time strong hands captured each side of his temple. He swallowed down the terror and the burning…something that flared within him, and tried to focus on what was happening.

Instead he felt himself sliding away from what was happening around him, no matter how much he tried to grab on. Slowly darkness overtook and then there was light.

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"He's under" Henry announced to the room. Lily gave him a nod and turned on her heel leaving them to it. Clearly she felt her part done and was eager to remove herself from the awkward presence of her ex-husbands parents and best friend. Understandable he supposed.

He shook himself and focused on the boy, this time much more careful then he had been. This time he intended to get an emotional reading before fully entering the boy's mind. Touching the outer edges of the boy's consciousness rather than fully immerse himself immediately he sighed. As always with this method all he gained was feelings. Anger, fear, confusion all whirled in the aura before him. But he continued with the method, searching for signs of hatred, of cunning, of waiting. A few minutes later, satisfied that nothing of the sort lay in the boy he continued further.

Wary as to what might undo the sudden memory loss and not wanting the past to return uncontrollably to the boy he stayed away from the image that he'd given him last time. This time he formed a beach, with the relaxing crash of waves in the background.

Slowly and with a well maintained control he summoned the unconscious form of the boy to him. Confusion marred the dark haired boys features as he appeared. He looked about himself for a bit then snapped his gaze to Henry.

"This is my mind?" he asked with a great deal less disbelief and hostility than last time.

Henry nodded and watched him carefully "Is this place familiar to you?"

The boy looked about him once more and slowly shook his head "Should it be?" he asked.

Henry shook his head. "No memories of a childhood returning?" he asked.

For that he got a very disgruntled look. "No" the boy said as though he were stupid.

Hnery nodded. "Do you want to know your name?" he asked gently wondering if the familiarity of that would trigger anything.

The boy looked a little startled and nodded.

"Harry" Henry said gently and watching for any changes in the mind. The boy looked around as if expecting something then accused him with a disappointed look.

Henry just about withheld himself from rolling his eyes at the boy who seemed to expect miracles. Instead he started to breath in and out slowly. He stepped in front of the boy and touched each side of his temple the way he was doing physically at that moment.

He stared into the green eyes and simply allowed colours to drift around them, going through the rainbows and concentrating on any snatches that may give him a clue about the boy. The memory loss was certainly real he could feel the difference.

Suddenly as the lights around them hit green the light itself changed to match the boys exact shade. More than that the feeling of the colour became violent and oddly a touch of red glowed in the centre.

Henry leaped upon it and forced the memory upwards. Red eyes, a wand, someone screaming out the boys name, and that light that could only be one thing.

This time when Henry opened his eyes to the physical world it was of his own making. Elizabeth's blue eyes assessing him silently. He nodded gently and then looked at Albus.

"Well?" Albus asked eyes relieved, "Did you discover anything about the boy?"

Henry sighed and went back over the images in his head confused by them. "The boy…his memory shows him to have been attacked…by Voldemort"

A flash of confusion hit the blue eyes. "When you say attacked"

Henry nodded "By magic. The killing curse was fired in front of him by Voldemort himself"

Elizabeth shook her head "That's impossible, I ran a diagnose on him, the boy has just turned seventeen. He was born a little too late for Voldemort to have been able to do that"

Sirius frowned "Could Voldemort have recovered his powers recently?"

"Albus hasn't" Elizabeth snapped

Henry lay a warning arm on her hand "No, the memory would have to be deeply imbedded to have still been present in the boy. Its an old memory. It also" he sighed "means that it was real. A false memory is unlikely to survive amnesia"

There was a long silence.

"It would appear that our young guest may be more than he seems" Albus said with a sigh. "Which means that his lost memory is our only key to understanding what's happening"

Sirius shot him a look "We can't bring it back, for all we know he's a few steps away from becoming a death eater."

"Quite right Sirius" Albus agreed. "Instead it would appear that we must gain his trust before attempting to revitalise his memory"

Elizabeth glared at him "Well what do you plan to do then. We can't keep him here with the students"

"In fact that is exactly what I suggest we do" Albus said calmly. "There are spells within the walls to prevent the boy from doing anything. And no outside influence should be able to reach him here"

Sirius frowned "Professor, surely he'd just end up in Slytherin, what's the point?"

Henry frowned "Could we rig the hat"

Albus smiled "No, and the hat is tradition. Questions would be asked about a transfer student as it is without that hat ceremony missing from his enrolment"

Elizabeth clicked her tongue "I take it then that you have some sort of plan up your sleeves"

Albus looked at her. "We can make sure that the boy chooses another house"

They all exchanged glances "How so?" Sirius asked finally.

"A story about an attack, us finding him"

"Manipulating him you mean?" Sirius asked sounding doubtful

"They are the facts" Elizabeth said gently.

"True but from what I saw of that boy, he's easily filled with the need for revenge. Can we risk that he wouldn't simply place himself in there to seek it?" Henry asked

Albus took a deep breath "I believe you had a second son" he said gently

Elizabeth snapped her gaze to his "And?" she demanded

Albus took a breath. "He would have been old enough to father a child?"

Elizabeth shook her head and moved away with a sharp motion.

Henry sighed "You want us to pretend that he's our grandson?"

"It is the only way I can see that we can keep him, gain his loyalty."

Henry looked at his wife who stood in the corner. "Albus, what your asking of us_"

"It's a lot, I realise that Henry, but it will help. More than you can imagine"

Henry's eyes narrowed briefly at that but vanished quickly. He stood up and walked to Elizabeth.

"Excuse us" he said and took her through the door.

Albus turned back to Sirius who was watching him with an odd look.

"You've got that look" Sirius muttered.

Albus didn't reply

Sirius shook his head and stood up. "I'll find James, he should be involved too." He got to the door "If you knew more than your letting on would you tell them?"

Albus looked at his ex-pupil. "Goodbye Sirius"

The man shook his head and exited the room.

Albus turned back to the young man on the bed and watched him for a long time.

He turned to leave and turned once more to close the door.

"Sleep well Mr Potter"


	6. Chapter 6

James shook his head in annoyance as he glanced between his parents. His father was staring into the wine glass with a thoughtful look whilst his mother was pacing up and down furiously.

He glanced at Sirius who had remained at Elizabeth's silent plea. It was so strange, he rarely thought about his brother now, they hadn't been overly close and the man had disappeared when he was eleven. His body had been found five years later and he remembered the quiet ceremony that had been performed, whilst Sirius, newly escaped from his family that summer has stood there right next to him.

Out of James' friends only Sirius and Lily had been aware that the funeral had occurred. Sirius was as good as his brother now and would walk to the end of the earth for him, Lily…

He shook his head, Lily, for all their arguments, would remain silent for the sake of their son and daughter.

He nearly hit himself when he realised that he was acting as though they were going to do as Dumbledore asked. This boy, the one who was likely a death eater in the making would be in his family house. To keep the ruse convincing he would have to let the boy be close to his children. Have to act like this boy was his nephew.

But if they didn't…

He'd heard all that Sirius had told him about the boy and the secrets that he may hold. They needed those secrets to win this unending conflict. If they didn't take the boy in…

Was it worth the risk?

Feeling that gaze upon him he looked up and straight into his fathers eyes. The man looked so tired and old suddenly and James felt a swell of annoyance rise within him at the request that Dumbledore had made of his parents. His brother Michael was still something that his parents refused to discuss. To reopen those wounds…

He rubbed a hand over his face trying to convince himself. Term would start soon which would mean that the boy would be at Hogwarts for almost a year if necessary. Summer term would be the time that the kid would be here and perhaps by then they would know all that they needed to know.

Or he could stay at Hogwarts for the summer. It was what he and the kids often did. It was simply easier and safer for the children…

"I'll have him"

The words erupted out of his mouth before he had thought it through. His mother's head snapped up in shook and his father narrowed his eyes at him. Next to him he felt Sirius shift with surprise.

"You would risk Chris and Rose for Albus and his insane plan" his mother spat

James sighed part of him still trying to work out how he thought this would be a better idea. "The kids and I stay at Hogwarts more than you; it would give Albus the access that he needs"

His father shook his head "It would be more convincing if Elizabeth and I took him in"

James shook his head "Not necessarily, I'm younger and not as involved in the war" he held a hand up at their protests "I'm not seen to be as active and certainly not as valuable" he rephrased "Whatever happens he cannot attack within the castle, not since the new wards were cast"

Sirius nodded "and there, we can have more people keep an eye on the kid" he added thoughtfully

James nodded thankful that at least one person was supporting him in this insanity he'd just dreamed up.

His mother sighed "Perhaps its unwise to decide this now"

James frowned "Dumbledore needs to know to enrol him"

She shook her head "I meant perhaps we should simply claim his as…" she paused painfully "perhaps we should enrol him as a Potter. That was we can claim that we share custody. Would it be so odd, that we want to keep him at Hogwarts?"

Sirius frowned "But he'd be your grandson. Would people really believe that you want nothing to do with him?"

Elizabeth shook her head "That's not exactly what I meant, if we are claiming that we found him suddenly then would we really have it all worked out. As long as we continue to keep a close eye on him…"

James nodded "ok, but we do have to name one person as guardian even if its temporary for now"

Henry stood up "I'll be named" he said decisively "If the boy has to leave Hogwarts then I will not have Chris and Rose in danger"

James looked at his father closely "Are you sure, if you're doing this simply because you don't want me to_"

His father smiled and shook his head "Yes, but isn't that why you offered?" he asked with some amusement. "besides I've been inside the boys head. I imagine that I will have to continue to go in there. The more he trusts me the better it will be and the quicker this can be over with"

James glanced at Sirius who shrugged "The Potters and their strays" he said with some amusement.

Elizabeth sighed "That, Sirius, we shall have to remember"

James frowned "Mum" he said protesting at Sirius' slightly taken-a-back look.

She rolled her eyes "Men, you're so sensitive. I simply meant that we shall have to remember that this is a role that we are playing. Its harder than you think. I never intended to be as close as I am with you" she nodded in Sirius direction "But after a while…you were mine" she said "This boy has no-one and no memory. As much as we have to gain his trust he cannot gain ours"

James shook his head "He's evil"

Elizabeth sighed "James, you of all people should realise by now that it is never that simple"


	7. Chapter 7

He took a deep breath as he stood in front of the old door and scraped a hand through his hair. He had a vague clue as to how difficult this would be a didn't relish the idea. But it needed to be done. And damn it he was a Potter.

He could do this.

Right?

James paced in front of the door for what felt like the fiftieth time that hour. His mind was racing and his heart was in his mouth. He had so desperately hoped that there was a way out of this that there was someone else who could do this task.

He could ask the kids to do it.

He put his hand to the door and rapped his knuckles upon it, creating an echoing knock that made his pulse skip a beat with nervousness. No, he corrected, not nervousness, just dread at the conversation that would take place.

And the likely direction that conversation would go.

The door was opened calmly and there she stood. He knew with some disappointment that part of him would always feel something when she opened the door, when he caught a glimpse of her. They had shared eight years of their life, they had shared their children. He knew her worst and best memories as he knew hers.

Used to, he sternly told himself. Used to.

And it was that leap of familiarity that usually caused him to act the way he did with her. But knowing it did not stop the actions.

"We have to talk" he told her with some bite to his voice

Her green eyes flickered and her arms folded. "Do we" she asked in a cold voice

He sneered ever so slightly ""We do"

She made some expression on her face and a vague gesture that he knew translated as go on then. It flared his already frail temper.

"Inside"

She continued that cool gaze that gave away nothing. For a second he was staring at somebody else, a Lily that he did not know, but the reflection of someone else. The knowledge of that spurred him on.

"Dumbledore's orders" he hissed at her

She raised an eyebrow "I am merely his employee, he has no right to send you barging into my personal quarters without specific and lawful reason"

James' immediate reaction was to snap back. Instead he closed his eyes and took a breath, aware that this was not going well.

"May I step into your office for a private word then" he said frostily, voice tightly polite.

She stood fro a few seconds then stepped out of the room. He bit down the retort when she double checked that he rooms were securely locked and was proud that no comment slipped from his mouth.

They walked in silence down to the potions office. James felt more and more annoyed with himself for suggesting this place. The second he stepped in he could see the influence of the previous occupier of this particular room. It did not amuse him.

He walked up to the shelf as she closed the door and pulled a face at one of the books on the shelf. "Does he still get the royalties from this? Or I suppose you do seeming as he's in the loony bin"

"Say what is needed and then leave" she hissed at him, a spark of the old Lily Evans temper flaring through. Part of him was relieved, the flash of thunder he could handle, the long cool icy treatment he could not,

"The boy, the one you made a potion for – you remember"

"I specifically asked not to be involved in this. That was the agreement for the one of potion" she snapped

"He will be registered at Hogwarts as my nephew"

Lily paused and frowned "But he isn't" she said bluntly

He looked at her, "He will be registered as such" he repeated trying his best to keep this formal so as not to disintegrate the conversation before it missed its point.

"Chris and Rose?" she asked

"Will meet their cousin" he said calmly

"You wish to lie to our children" she asked with annoyance

"You are hardly in a position to be giving me lectures" he snapped back

There was a flash of something in her face and then it was gone. "You are risking them in this war of yours and_"

"This war of mine" he repeated with sheer fury, "I apologise deeply for standing up for half bloods like you, perhaps I should have been more like your beloved Slytherin, but then he's hardly innocent of_"

"Get out" she yelled at him

He stood his ground "I need your oath" he stated with a lot more calm than he felt

"Go to hell"

He strode up to her so that he was looking down at her, "I'm not leaving without it"

She stared at him "I give you my oath I will not knowingly say or do anything that would put my children at risk"

He stood and stared at her

"But you and your order can go to the devil himself for all I care"

James simply turned on his heel and walked out, not trusting himself to continue this further.

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"Do any of those pictures seem familiar" Henry asked watching the dark head of hair as it bent over the paper. Carefully he allowed his magic to graze the barriers of this boy's mind looking for any abnormality that might suggest a spark of recognition.

The boy shook his head "Should they?" he asked

Henry didn't reply and showed him another photo, almost bored. He'd been at this for an hour now, and there had been no reaction from the boys mind. Just vague curiosity and faint annoyance. He wondered when he was expected to tell the boy of their "relationship". He decided that he should wait fro Dumbledore's say so. He still was unsure how he should feel about this, how far was he and Elizabeth expected to go in this charade? How much of that past would they have to dig up?

"Henry, can I speak to you"

He looked up and saw Sirius standing in the doorway.

"Don't move" he said to the boy without looking at him, and walked towards the man he considered a son.

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He looked down at the picture in his hands and for the first time he felt some stab of something. He tried to follow it but the memory evaded itself from his grasp. He looked up to tell Henry but the man was already half way out the door.

"_Its His mark"_

He blinked unsure at the voice that spoke in his mind. Whose mark? What were they talking about. He tried desperately to follow the memory, sure that if he could just remember one thing about this voice in his head then more would come. Something would come to him.

But all he could see when he closed his eyes was green and red lights. With a tired shake of his head he put the picture down and waited.

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"What is it" Henry asked as he shut the door behind him

"The ministry, you and I have been called in, top priority"

Henry frowned "Is it about the boy"

Sirius frowned "I doubt it, they'd be here if it was. Earlier I was told my Moody that there was a magical disturbance in London. It's likely that"

"But it coincided with the boy's arrival?"

Sirius sighed "We do what we can"

Henry watched him, then nodded. "I'll notify Albus that we're leaving"

Sirius nodded. "I'll get Poppy to keep an eye on our new guest"


	8. Chapter 8

Lily Evans was utterly exhausted, and more she was admitting it.

She sat on the chair, in the middle of the office with a tumbler filled with some ridiculously expensive alcohol that Severus had liked to drink. She downed it feeling numb and stared at the door that her ex-husband had marched out of less than an hour ago.

She was so tired of this. Her life, what had happened. Of constantly fighting and watching those around her drop like flies. James' family had chosen this; she could never say that she had. It was fight or die and the knowledge that she had no choice was weary beyond belief at times like these.

Her gaze found the picture on her desk. Chris at 8 and Rose at 6. Both smiling and happy and in her arms. How had it gone so wrong she wondered.

The clock across from her chimed the hour and she couldn't move. It was her allotted time to go and visit. But she just couldn't summon up the strength today. Couldn't go and see him and watch that once intelligent, brilliant mind stew and fade. It was agony, and one she wasn't sure that she could bear for much longer.

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He had woken in a ward. One filled with victims of a curse that he knew instantly. He had sat up and stared about him in shock and then realising horror, as the full extent of his memory, and of his task, came to him.

He saw those green eyes shadowed with pain and acceptance. The uncaring expression and hopeful glance that it might all end that night.

And he had screamed knowing that he had failed. That the ministry had succeeded in their most hideous betrayal yet. That he had failed her memory once more.

The nurse had ran in immediately, stunned at the lack of lucidity from a crusiatus patient and had attempted to bind him to the bed with her wand. His immediate reaction had been to fight it.

That had brought the aurors in.

And now he would have to face the one person he had been relieved and terrified to find still lived in this world.

For Henry Potter was the only person who could potentially rip his walls to shreds.

And in less than an hour he would be coming for him

Severus Snape did not consider himself a weak man, he barely considered himself as a normal wizards most of the time. But the idea of _that_ man leaning over him, invading his mind in a way he'd sworn would never happen again…it was enough to make him want to curl up and die.

He stood and walked to the warded windows of the small hospital room that had become his prison. This world…he'd never imagined it could be possible. A world were the Dark Lord lived and where there were so many friends on either side still alive. And more came to see him.

His sudden awareness in this world had been a shock. He had believed that a gradual reawakening of memories would occur – mainly so suspicion would remain low. But this sudden clarity was fascinating. He knew what the man in this world had done with his life. It was beyond anything he'd hoped when he'd first heard of this plan.

This plan…he shuddered slightly imagining her reaction had she or if she ever knew about how it had been carried out. In his defence he'd never known what would happen to make such a seemingly impossible feat feasible. He probably should have. That boy was always involved in the ridiculous. All he'd wanted was a chance, a chance with her, to see her.

But there was a price to pay, there always was and he should have sensed that there was something very wrong. But even by the time the boy had been dragged out it had been too late. And Severus had realised the trick that had been played on himself as well. And then…and then Potter's head had started to bleed for that scar and he'd known. He'd begun to realise. He should have stopped the spell then and there. Even if it had meant instant death for all of them that second.

He'd honestly like to say that he hadn't because stopping the spell then may not have stopped the process but would have killed the boy. He'd like to claim that when he looked her in the face.

But the promise of seeing her had been to great, and those green eyes staring blindly around the circle of left over death eaters had reminded him all to well of what he would loose if he stopped the spell now.

Even if it meant her pain, the destruction of her life and even his death.

And the plain selfishness of his act screamed through him, battled with the terror of the visit that would happen later this day.

And the knowledge that out there somewhere the magically burnt out corpse of his interrogators grandson, the dead child of his beloved Lily did in no way help the shields he was stumbling to create.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What happened" Henry asked as they walked into the ministry and started to the stairs that would take them to the containment medical areas.

"He snapped out of the madness that is a result of" the auror begun

"We know why he was there" Sirius snarled "How do you mean snapped out"

The man shrugged helplessly "Just that. One minute he was in bed, the nurse heard him screaming and the next he was fighting a curse, seemingly becoming lucid. He's remained like that ever since"

Henry's mouth tightened but he said nothing.

"How long has he been like this?" Sirius asked with annoyance

"About two days"

Henry made a motion with his hand for the auror to walk ahead and glanced at Sirius.

"Same time frame" he muttered

"For what? The boy showing up? How do you connect a kid appearing out of mid air with some greasy bastard snapping out insanity?"

"Both highly unusual, both have an odd energy signature attached to them, how can you not?"

Sirius took a deep breath "So his weirdo occlumency stuff suddenly kicked in, perhaps he hid some part of him when his was tortured. Big deal and crap timing"

Henry took a deep breath "Weirdo occlumency as you call it does not work like that. And I believe it was the intention of his torturers to leave him insane. Why this long? It makes no sense. Not to mention some of the best healers tested him. That man was not sane and had no way of becoming sane Sirius."

Sirius was silent until they got to the wing.

"Does Lily know?" he asked

Henry stiffened "No."

For a few seconds Sirius looked torn "She should" he said eventually

Henry gave him a surprised look.

"Lily will find out sooner or later. Now might mean she can cause less trouble for us if things go badly"

Henry looked annoyed "He could snap back in a second"

Sirius waited a few beats "But you don't believe that, do you?"

Henry focussed his attention on the door in front of him. "No. But he is connected to this strange magical energy and more, he was closer to the main source"

Sirius swung a disbelieving gaze at Henry "This still isn't the original magical signature"

Henry shook his head "Apparently not. I believe that we will have more when Moody gets back"

Sirius nodded thoughtfully and stared at the door for a few minutes.

"Sirius?"

"Hmm?"

Henry gestured to the door "Are you planning on going in?" he asked with some amusement.

"Hell no" Sirius backed away quickly, "No just thinking"

"I'll be sure to alert Elizabeth at that surprising new occurnace" Henry teased gently "Sirius go home and see your family. Relax for a bit"

Sirius glanced around "Are you encouraging me to play hooky?" he asked with mock horror

"What would the world be if Sirius Black was on the straight and narrow fro all his life?"

Sirius formad a vague smile and turned to go back the way they'd come.

"And Sirius?"

The man turned back

"Give me a few hours. Then you can tell Lily"

A shadow crossed Sirius' face but he nodded all the same.

Henry watched him go and turned back to the door. He leant against the door for a few seconds.

"Forgive me" he whispered, and then opened the door to what lay inside and beyond.


	9. Chapter 9

Right I have cleared up the chapters and will be starting afresh tomorrow! I am sorry about the trouble I have had with this and my other stories. Once again the old computer to blame excuse flags up! I do not intend to abandon this fic, but I am at university and so the updates are going to be a bit iffy!

If you are a little confused about the fiction then I can tell you that Harry has just turned seventeen so would have been going into his seventh year. This is an Au from after the fourth book which leaves two years unaccounted for. One could assume that if Harry got his memory back those two years might be answered but who knows (wink!).

In the AU world, Sirius has a son and a mother of that son called Marie. They are not married but very together. He works as an Auror with Moody.

James and Lily split up about seven years ago, they never had Harry (this will also be explained!) but they did have Chris who is 15 and Rose who is 12. James' parents are still alive - Elizabeth Potter is a well respected Healer and Henry Potter is a specialised Auror in mind magic.

Voldemort and Dumbledore had a battle years ago and both lost their magic, Dumbledore relies on his position as headmaster as the castle shares its inherent magic with him. And Severus Snape has appeared – from the canon world but has memories of both worlds. There was a magical disturbance that includes but is not limited to Snape and Harry.

I hope that the cleared up chapters explain a little more, especially about Dumbledore. As I say I do try to give them all reasons for acting a little differently.

Okey-dokey? : P

And on we go with the show...

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James sat by the empty bed as the boy...Harry he corrected himself, had a shower, running over in his mind what he should say and how he should act. This wasn't really his thing, sneaking around, manipulating. He shifted uncomfortably, pointedly ignoring his mothers glare that he was sure would make him feel like a fidgety ten year old again.

"So how much do we have to tell him?" he asked.

His mother shot him an annoyed look "We answer his questions" she replied.

"But what if he asks something and I say something stupid?"

He saw a faint twitch of a smile "Learn to think before you speak then"

James let out an annoyed puff of air and drummed a slight beat on his knees. "So...i talked to Lily"

"And how is she?" she asked sounding interested.

"Pissed with me" James replied honestly. "I dunno what it is about her these days but every time I see her…" he trailed off. "It's silly, you'd think we'd at least get on a little."

"She's rude to you?" Elizabeth asked sounding a little surprised.

James shifted feeling a bit like he did when he came home at the age of fifteen. "No" he admitted, "It's not just her, I can't seem to relax or…be that civil around her. I know her weak spots and just…" he shrugged. "Dunno why"

"Jealousy, annoyance, frustration. Guilt"

"Guilt?" James demanded "What the bloody hell would _I_ have to feel guilty ab_" he trailed off as the dark headed boy entered the room. "Harry" he greeted.

The boys green eyes narrowed and stared for a few seconds, then the boy turned behind him as if expecting to see someone else there. The boy turned back questioningly.

James could already sense his mothers annoyance.

"Sit down" she said in an authoritative but calm tone, the one that James identified as her healers tone.

With another quick glance at James the boy sat on the edge of the bed clearly uncomfortable.

"My name is Elizabeth and this is my son James. I'm the one that healed you primarily. The woman that you've been seeing since you woke up is called Poppy Pomfrey. She works as a nurse at this school" his mother started gently. James saw an understanding glow in the boys face as he nodded.

"He called me..." the boy trailed off.

"He called you Harry. That's your name. Harry Potter"

A flash of something registered in the boys eyes but was gone before James could really study it. He saw Harry mouth his name as though getting used to the way it was said.

"Does this ring any bells for you" James asked unhappy at the silence.

The emerald gaze flashed back up again and the head shook "I'm not really sure" Harry confessed. "I mean I heard it when we were in my head, but I wasn't sure…" he looked a little uncomfortable.

"It's your name" James said in a voice a little harsher than he had intended.

"You were found in Hogwarts, we...we are unsure as to how you got here" Elizabeth said. "You were badly injured." she paused a little. "Does the name Michael Potter mean anything?"

"I don't know" Harry ground out in clear frustration. "I don't have a clue" he shook his head and his shoulders slumped.

James watched his mother who seemed poised to tell the lie they were here to tell. She licked her lips slightly and her gaze narrowed at the distressed teenager. To anyone else she would have appeared merely thoughtful. But James knew that she was steeling herself for what she was about to do.

"It would appear Harry that your my grandson"

The boys gaze shot up so fast that James feared he would break his neck with the force of it. "I'm...what?"

"I had two sons, Michael and James. Michael was older than James by almost nine years. He left home when he was twenty. We had a fight..." here his mother swallowed genuinely pained "And he went. We never heard from him..." she paused "Until you turned up"

"But..." Harry looked desperately between the two of them. "I don't..."

"I imagine that this is hard to take in" James said gently "But this is coming as a shock to us as well."

Harry looked so lost "So where is...my um..."

James and Elizabeth exchanged glances "We found his body not far from yours. I'm afraid..." Elizabeth broke off and looked away. "I'm sorry"

And knowing his mother like he did James could tell that sentence was the hardest for her; having to comfort a stranger over her own sons death, no matter how long ago it was.

Xxxxxxxx

Henry stood looming over Severus Snape who was restrained upon the bed in a fashion one would find fitting for someone who'd been cursed into insanity. And for all the world Snape looked insane, but it was the eyes that didn't fool Henry. Utterly focused, staring straight ahead.

Snape was constructing shields, Henry had no doubt about that. And the man was also avoiding his gaze. As if that would make a huge amount of difference for him.

Placing his hands upon Snape in the same way he had done for the boy earlier, he let his mind flow like liquid into the mind beneath him.

The shields were rather impressive given the time that they'd been constructed in but Henry felt confident about his abilities. He set to work.

It was easy really, Severus had been an incredible student years ago when he switched sides and needed help to become a spy. They hadn't liked each other but had respected each other. But Severus had a weakness that it pained Henry to exploit. Not so much for Severus but for him.

He threw an image of Lily at the mind. Of his former daughter in law screaming when they found what was left of the man in front of him.

Many images came back, too many to really filter through and Henry had no interest in doing that. Instead he tried getting behind the man's shields as they weakened.

"_Mudblood"_

"_Stay away from my family Snivilus"_

"_I can give her back to you"_

"_What have I done. He promised"_

Henry paused in what he was doing.

_A grave that was blurred stood in front of him. Severus Snape looking so lost. Placing a bunch of daisy's onto the grave._

_Laughing with Lily in the privacy of their chambers, Severus looking carefree and so much younger._

These images made no coherent sense.

Henry pulled himself out of the man's mind.

Xxxxxx

It had been unbelievably painful and James found himself cursing that his father wasn't here to help them. He had no way of comforting his mother, still utterly in the dark about what had happened between his parents and his brother. He had no idea what was truth and what was make-believe. He had a feeling that pointing that out might make it worse.

"So I have cousins" Harry said into the silence.

James nodded "You do. Chris is two years younger than you and Rose is four years younger. I wouldn't trust Chris if he offers you something. It's likely to be a prank."

The green eyes widened.

"It wouldn't be personal" James said sticking up for his son. "In fact i'd be more worried if he and Tristan did nothing"

"Tristan?

"His best friends and his godfathers son"

Harry nodded. "What houses is he in?"

James narrowed his eyes "You know about the houses?"

Harry nodded "It's like...I dunno a game? Where i know the rules just not the moves. Does that make sense?" he asked cocking his head to the side slightly.

James shrugged "I guess" he said "They're both in Gryffindor. Like most Potters"

James noted the look of worry in the boys face "So all Potters are in that house?"

"Generations" Elizabeth piped up. Clearly she had been happy to pass the torch over to James and recover slightly from the gruelling chat about false family members.

Harry's mouth worked for a few seconds "Will...will I be sorted? Am I staying here?"

James and Elizabeth looked at each other.

"Doesn't matter" Harry muttered looking away.

James frowned "No, your staying" he gushed out, unsure as to why Harry's reaction had worried him. "It's just transfer students are rare. We'll have to put up some fuss"

A slightly pleased look overtook Harry's features.

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"What's the problem Henry?" Albus asked over the floo connection.

"Problem? His memories make no sense. Do you not see the problem?"

The face in the fire looked slightly peeved "Then one set is false"

Henry shook his head "He's like the boy only more complicated and experienced with my technique. Both sets have happened for him. I can tell the bloody difference between real and imagined Albus"

"What will you do?"

Henry glanced at his office door. "Have the longest toilet break in history apparently" he muttered.

Albus did not look amused.

"I can't tell the ministry. They'll most likely kill him. I can't not tell the ministry because if they get another in it's immediately apparent that he has strange memories."

"Not everyone has your talent"

"They have a brain! I have two options. Either I do a risky game with him and the ministry and play him for answers or I go in there and tear his mind to pieces. And I can guarantee that he will not go easy"

Albus stared at his old friend "I will bow to your wisdom in this matter Henry. I can no longer see what you can"

Henry ran a hand through his hair, a habit his son had picked up thinking it made him look as cool as his famous auror Dad.

"There is a third option"

"Yes?"

"Lily"

Albus looked unconvinced "You think that legally she could put a hold on this? They were never married"

"But he named her to take care of his estates should something happen. It would include this. Possibly"

"So you wish Lily to storm into the ministry and take him not just out of their hands but ours also?"

"He loves her. If he can help protect her he will" Henry argued

"He loves her. Not the entirety of muggle-borns. He could simply put up strong wards and obliviate anyone who came near"

"Then we get an oath from her. It would be death or us. She will help us. Sirius was going to inform her of the situation but maybe it would be better_"

Albus sighed. "I suppose you wish me to break the news to her"

Henry gave him a stern glance "Given the task you just had Elizabeth perform can you blame me?"

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Hope this was a good chapter for you all. I know that its mostly talking at the moment but there will be action later.

I have received a few things about people not going with the whole Lily with Snape thing. I realise that this is probably unexpected but do go with me on this. She hasn't just woken up and decided that she has a thing for greasy hair and scowls. This is a different world and different things have happened. There is a reason for her and Snape and there is a "thing" that got them together so just stick with me. At least it shows I have some plan !! I know I may be ruining some people's ideas of Lily and James but I am begging do not switch off because of this.

Tanydwr – Ahh the questions! There is one event that changed this world and it happened about 16/17 years ago. Everything up until that point remained the same from what we are told in the books. Lily was a Gryffindor and she and James are cold to each other because, as you can see they are not together. As for Harry you will have to wait and see ;)

panther73110 – james and Lily were married but have since split up. Since then she did have a relationship with Snape for a bit which has not improved the feelings between her and James

heyo – I will use the whole Lily Snape back-story from book 7 yes, but other than what we find out about his parents nothing else would really be applicable.

petites sorcieres – nice memory!! I had to have a bit of a flick through to refresh myself! I realise that Snape and Lily is horrifying to people but again I have reason :) sorry if its making you shudder tho!

Boo26 – I'm glad you like the twist – phew someone likes it!

Xenia Marvolo – Thank you for the review. And don't worry – the new Dreams chapter has been written but needs fine tuning. It will be up very soon I think. But i'm happy you like both of my stories – yay!

Caldonya – I will reveal things but my continuity hasn't been great so far, I will be more stern with my dates and such to make for easier reading.

He who must not be flamed – yes it is odd isn't it how no-one sees the likeness. I guess you either assume that people exaggerate on Harry's likeness(which admittedly seems unlikely,) or a certain someone is being interfering in the story. (Twiddles thumbs innocently – which could it be?!)

ToonedIn – I already sent you a message but i'm sure those who wanted this updated will be happy to know that they have you to thank for it :)

Energeezer – I gather you are not a lily and Snape fan? I have updated this since you reviewed so apologies. Hopefully my above rant will satisfy you? Please bare with me but this is going to have the relationship featuring for a while, but there is, as I have said a reason. And than you for reviewing after all this time!

Please review and make me feel guilty so I update. I really enjoy writing this story so thank you to the people who bugged me about it and reminded me. I appreciate it :)


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